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CHSD 99 reports gains in first‑semester grades, credits widespread interventions and attendance push
Summary
District administrators told the board that first‑semester grade data improved across both high schools and that staff documented interventions for roughly 98% of students, with administrators crediting coordinated outreach and an attendance focus for the gains.
District administrators reported measurable gains in first‑semester academic performance and described expanded, documented interventions they say are keeping students from ‘‘falling through the cracks.’’ At a board meeting, presenters said North High School saw 95.81% of first‑semester grades at C or better and South High School recorded 93.71% at C or better, both the highest figures shown in the seven‑year chart the district shared.
Gina, an administrator who led the data slides, said the district also reduced the share of students earning D or F grades and greatly increased outreach to those students. ‘‘One hundred percent of our North High School students who had an F grade had an intervention, had a parent contact,’’ Gina said, adding that contacts range from emails and phone calls to conferences and wraparound services.
The presentation separated two ways of measuring outcomes: the percent of all grades that are C or better (which can count multiple classes per student) and the percent of unique students with at least one D or F. Administrators said the two metrics together show both classroom‑level trends and the number of individual students needing support. They reported that the percent of unique students with a D or F dropped substantially year over year.
Presenters attributed the changes to several factors: stronger documentation of interventions after the district began using Infinite Campus (which lets counselors and staff see teacher contacts), a multi‑tiered system of supports run by the district’s C Triple S teams, and a continuing emphasis on attendance and student ownership. Scott, an administrator who co‑presented, described the district’s ‘‘alpha’’ threshold process for students failing multiple courses; those students trigger building problem‑solving meetings that can result in targeted interventions.
Administrators also reported a new analysis showing that about 98% of North’s student population had at least one documented intervention contact during the first semester. ‘‘That 98% shows the scope of what our team is doing,’’ one presenter said, noting that documentation creates a trail other staff members can use when supporting a student.
Board members asked for more detail about what ‘‘intervention’’ entails; presenters said it can include one‑on‑one meetings, office hours, tutoring programs (including the district’s Strive tutoring), parent conferences and coordinated supports with counselors and social workers. A board member requested clarity on whether the recorded contacts were single emails or substantive two‑way conversations; presenters said the district is working to improve both quality and ease of documentation.
Administrators warned the board that some year‑to‑year variation reflects the COVID era’s hybrid attendance patterns, and they cautioned that grades can still shift late in a semester. They asked the board to view these results as evidence that their strategic plan and intervention systems are producing measurable improvements. The board did not take action on the presentation; administrators said they will continue tracking the metrics and report again after the next semester.
